Tuesday 6 January 2009

Ohh La La . . .



Bonjours Mes Amis!!! Do you know what today is? Of course you do!!! It's Tuesday and anyone who reads my blog regularly knows that Tuesdays means Tuesdays With Dorie Day! That one day of the week when I get together with a lot of other baking sisters all over the globe, and we all bake the same recipe from that fabulous baking book, Baking, from my home to yours, by the wonderful Dorie Greenspan. This week is a very special week though, for . . . not only are we celebrating the one year anniversary of this lovely baking group, but as an extra special treat, this week's recipe was picked by none other than Ms Greenspan herself, and she will be baking right along with us!!



Can you spell T-H-R-I-L-L-E-D???


Colour me twice thrilled, coz not only am I baking with the wonderful Dorie herself, but she chose a recipe that I knew I would love from the get go, French Pear Tart on pages 368 and 369.



I LOVE PEARS! I love them fresh from off of the tree, all crunchy and sweet. I love them all soft,warm, juicy and ripe when they've been sitting on my counter for a few days and have become so fragrantly ripe that you need two handful's of paper towels to eat one coz the juice is running down your chin. I love them fresh out of the tin and eaten with a spoon, all tender and sweet. I LOVE PEARS!!



To me the best dinner in the world is to take a sleeve of saltine crackers, a dish of butter and a tin of pears and sit down and eat. If you have never eaten buttered saltines with soft and juicy tinned pears you just have not lived . . . end of story! If I had to choose a last meal ever I would choose this, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to be baking a pear tart!!



I could tell you how wonderfully the frangipane filling went together and how delicious it smelled even before it went into the oven . . . probably because I decided to add some ground cardamom.

(Cardomom + Pears = Marriage Made In Heaven)

I could tell you about the umpteen tinned pears I ate before I even started, so much so that I had to open another tin . . .


I could tell you about the wonderfully crisp edges that I got to trim off of the pastry and savour because I decided to do the overhang, partially bake, and trim by rolling a rolling pin over the edge method of crustery trimming and baking . . .



I could tell you about how the filling baked up all puffy and nicely browned around the pears in the oven . . .

I could tell you about how wonderfully crisp the pastry turned out and how deliciously golden the filling . . .



I could tell you about how I decided to make a bunch of smaller individual ones instead of one large one . . .

I could tell you all these things, but . . . I think I'll just show you instead.



Dorie, this tart is Da Bomb! We loved it. I think this has become my favourite recipe in the book and not just because you chose it, but because it is spectacularly delicious and because it is easy and because I LOVE PEARS!

There you have it. Dorie's French Pear Tart. Hop on over to her page and scoop the recipe and MAKE IT! You won't regret it. While we're at it why not just buy the book. You won't regret it. Not a dud in the bunch, and worth every penny. Money well invested.



You know this lovely fluffy figure I enjoy? Well, half of it is due to this book and to devouring all the food pictures taken by all the lovely members of this group, and the other half, well . . . they do say confession is good for the soul . . . Hop on over to the Blog Roll and take a gander at all the other entries for this week. Ok, so I confess, the ample poundage is not only due to looking at pictures, but hey . . . you got to go some way, and what a way to go . . .

Now pass me that fork, I have a date with a Pear Tart, and a French one at that! Ohh La La!!

Next week's recipe will be Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins on page 6, as chosen by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake .

41 comments:

  1. Wow Marie -
    You tart looks delicious. I am in awe! That is so cool that Dorie picked the recipe too! I am going to go over to site and check out the recipe.

    Thanks Marie. Also, I got your cards today and they are beautiful -- thank you. You are such a wonderful artist. And, if you ever come out this way -- you and Todd are invited to stay with us!

    XOXOXOXO
    Jen

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  2. Great post, Marie! This was a great recipe and your minis are adorable. I've never tried the partial bake and then level the crust method, but it produces a beautiful edge, doesn't it (not to mention the little trimmings to enjoy!)
    Nancy

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  3. Marie bang goes the diet again!!!!What a lovely & unusual recipe!I managed to get a new food processor so once I get "organised" I'll be having a go Marie x

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  4. Yes like JenJen said - WOW MARIE!! That tart looks really lovely. A great post too.

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  5. Such a beautiful tart...so delicious...OH!!I like pears, and would like to be more adventurous cooking/baking with them. Your caricature of Dorie is such fun--you are so clever! Will look out for you on MSN this afternoon...look forward to sitting with a cuppa and chatting! :o) Happy Day, sweet friend--LOVE YOU ((HHUGS))

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  6. Hi Marie :)
    This looks wonderful. I am so glad I bought her Baking Book. One thing I am not sure I told you previously, is for my 3 daughters this Christmas, I bought them the Baking Cookbook also. I can't tell you how happy they were. :) They are up in Massachusetts and I am in Miami, so we can't bake them together, but they keep calling me and saying MOM you have to try THIS recipe, or THAT recipe haha.... They are as hooked as I am. The book is of high quality and a real pleasure to read.

    The Pear Tart looks great...I am going to try it for sure.

    Have a great week :)
    Marilyn In Miami FL :)

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  7. You've got me drooling all over my pajamas Marie and I'm not even sucha great fan of pears.!
    Hope you have a wonderful day.
    Hugs, Rhondi

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  8. My mouth is watering from looking at the pictures and all your talk of pears. Here I sit at work and there are absolutely no pears around. Now I'll have to get some for sure. 'On Ya'-ma

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  9. Well I will say WOW!!!! too is the first word that came to my mind when I saw this Marie!!! I love pears and this look absolutely nice and tasty, hugggsss!!!Gloria

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  10. I LOVE your description of eating a soft ripe pear with a paper towel to catch the juices!! I love to eat them like that!! THis is beautiful Marie, seriuosly it's beutiful! I can only imagine how good it tastes!

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  11. As always you have done an awesome job! I love your drawing of Dorie!! :)

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  12. Beautiful tarts.

    I can't tell your excited at all.

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  13. Oh la la... indeed! Weren't those simply amazing? Yummyyyyyy!

    ...and what a high rise you got from them! Beautiful, Marie!

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  14. I love all of your pictures and your tart looks so good. I really loved this recipe and will make it again!

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  15. "I could tell you about the umpteen tinned pears I ate before I even started, so much so that I had to open another tin . . ."

    Ha, ha...I see we went to the same cookery school. I can't tell you how many times I've done that. I'm incorrigible.

    What a fabulous tart. I guess the diet can wait a bit....

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  16. Your tart looks beautiful and so puffy! Mine did not puff that much. I loved the almond cream, didn't you? YUM. You did a great job with yours.

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  17. That looks mighty yummy, Marie!

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  18. I agree, a very tasty recipe. I love your minis

    Ulrike from Küchenlatein

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  19. Your pear tarts do look so lovely. I am watching Thomas with Austin. He had his breakfast but I didn't....and I am hungry. Those tarts look like they would make a great breakfast!!! Since I don't have them perhaps I will have to try the tin pears with saltines and butter for breakfast. Sounds good to me.

    I feel really tired today and have broken out with a huge cold sore on half of my top lip. I am going to look awful at the temple Thur. I should be putting the house back in order after all my kids left yesterday...I tell myself that I am too tired today..but maybe it is just because I hate to put away the evidence that they were here.

    I think that I will go have some pears and crackers. I hope I have a tin in the pantry.

    I missed getting a comment from you today. I hope that you are o.k. I send love as always. Lura

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  20. So you like pears do you? :) Your tart looks fantastic!

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  21. Your tart looks delicious! I just bought some cardamon yesterday...I cannot wait to try it!

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  22. Marie, your tart looks amazing! What a treat for the pear lover (and wonderful enough to convert the non-pear lover!) I love your vintage pear posters! Great idea to add a bit of cardamom. Your post makes me want to make this all over again. I agree that this may well be the best of the best!

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  23. Ok Marie...I'll be swimming over with my fork in hand....

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  24. Great post!! Your mini tarts look fantastic!

    -Amy
    www.singforyoursupperblog.com

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  25. Yet another wonderful posting Marie.I just do not know how you do it.Talented all rounder at everything you put your finger to.I love pears and this looks delicious.Mmmmmmmmm.You have won me over once again.I'll never slim LOL!!Take Care God Bless Kath xx

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  26. Marie- look at the height of your almond cream! I guess that is what Dorie meant when she said it is done when it is puffed. I love that you added cardamom- I wouldn't have thought of that, even though it is my favorite spice.
    yUMMY!

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  27. I love you my dear,
    You made my day today. You are special to me.
    Thank you for being such a dear friend.
    XOXOX Lura

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  28. PS I'm having my second bowl of pears with saltines and butter and thinking of you. You are right...they are yummy. From now on I will think of them as my "Marie treat".

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  29. That tart looks fabulous. Just fabulous. I'm glad you're in heaven!

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  30. The cardamon sounds delicious. I almost added some, but went with ginger instead.

    Your tarts look heavenly!

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  31. That baked cream of yours looks glorious. Glad you liked it!

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  32. So, you liked these, right? ;) They turned out beautifully, the almond cream looks crispy and delicious.

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  33. I loved your post, and your tart is spectacular! Love love love the pear-cardamom combo and will have to try that next time. Thanks for the tip on baking the crust with overhang and then rolling it off...less shrinkage, right?

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  34. Marie - that tart looks fantastic. Mine would never have come out that beautifully. (Wish I could write like you, too.) You are Da Bomb!!!

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  35. It's not flipping fair. It isn't.........I haven't got any pears!!!!
    love, Angie, xx

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  36. Mmmmmm...cardamom...gosh, that sounds delightful!

    Nice job on your tart!!!!

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  37. i love your mini tart! the frangipane got so puffy! :) glad you loved this one so much, i thought it was delicious, too.

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  38. Your tart looks beautiful!

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  39. Your tart looks A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!! It has given me a huuuuge craving for frangipane and pears!!! Oooh I want to make that tart :)

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